ACSOL will host an Emotional Support Group for registrants and their loved ones on Saturday March 31, 10 a.m. at: ACLU Building 1313 W. 8th Street Los Angeles Free parking is available under the building and there is no charge to attend the meeting.
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NY: Gov. Cuomo’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Plan to Protect Your Kids
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently unveiled a legislative proposal packaged as part of a budget amendment to expand already onerous residency and presence restrictions for some sex offenders in New York. Full Article
Read MoreCA: Vidak authors measure to prevent sex offenders from secretly moving in next door to schools, parks and child care centers
State Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) today announced he is amending his Senate Bill 1143 to prevent sex offenders from secretly moving in next door to schools, parks, and child care centers. Click here (pdf) to view the bill’s amended language. … “Given the Court’s and Brown administration’s reluctance to keep sex offenders from living near children, we looked into other possible solutions,” said Vidak. “Our SB 1143 will force these sex offenders to at least, before they attempt to buy or rent near a school, park or child care center, notify the…
Read MoreIL: Sex offender facing charges in Troy sues, says burden to prove innocence is too high
A Florida man facing child sex assault charges has filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois alleging that the burden of proof placed on him to prove his innocence is too high. ____ ____ says Illinois’ laws “allow convictions without proof,” placing a crippling burden on the defendant and lowering the burden of proof for prosecutors so much so that they only need to place someone on the stand and point and say, “He did it.” This, he said, is a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights to protect…
Read MoreWhen The Abuser Is A Child, Too
In 2005, a 17-year-old, Amie Zyla, made a plea to members of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Zyla had been sexually assaulted at age 8 by a 14-year-old friend of the family. Nine years after was convicted in juvenile court, Zyla was horrified to see him on the local news. He had been arrested for luring children into his apartment and videotaping dozens of them in his shower. “We cannot sit back and allow kids to continue to be hurt,” she told the subcommittee. “The…
Read MoreMA: Sex offender registry changes sought
The lowest level of convicted sex offenders would be required to register with local police and face increased scrutiny under plans to expand the state’s registry. A proposal by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr would require Level 1 sex offenders to register with police in person, while their names, addresses and other information would be added to a searchable online database, along with those of more serious Level 2 and 3 offenders. Full Article
Read MoreAZ: Sex offender registration on campus: important for public safety or counterproductive for reintegration?
ASU works with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that convicted sex offenders who work or study on campus comply with sex offender registration and community notification policies as mandated by state law. Those in favor of such requirements say they are important for public safety. But registered offenders and their advocates say these requirements are often counterproductive and affect offenders’ ability to get a second chance, especially in university settings. Full Article
Read MoreCA: Prop 57: Letting Californian Sex-Offenders On The Loose [Editorial]
Initially, Proposition 57 seemed to be a feasible solution to California’s prison overcrowding. It promised that nonviolent offenders would be offered parole if they had already served their primary sentences and did not pose any threat to society. However, this changed when Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner ruled that thousands of sexual offenders would be eligible for parole under Proposition 57’s “nonviolent crime” clause. On March 5, the state of California announced that it will appeal Judge Summer’s ruling by arguing that those convicted of sexual violence should…
Read MoreMN: West St. Paul votes to loosen rules on where sex offenders can live
West St. Paul loosened its rules on where sex offenders can live Monday night, after struggling to strike a balance between residents’ concerns and possible legal repercussions of its highly restrictive policy. Full Article
Read MoreOK: Senate approves bill to fix loophole that allowed convicted sex offender to live next to victim
State leaders are taking action after a victim shined a light on a little known loophole in Oklahoma’s law. “He’s like right there, practically in my backyard and that kind of makes me nervous and not want to go home ever,” Danyelle Dyer told News 4 last year. Danyelle says her uncle, ____ ____, was released from prison after he was convicted of molesting her when she was a child. Full Article
Read MoreWI: Sex offender sues hospital that won’t let him visit son, 9
A registered sex offender forbidden from visiting his severely ill 9-year-old son filed a lawsuit Friday against Wisconsin Children’s Hospital, arguing its visitation policy is “cruel and causes unnecessary harm to families and innocent children.” Full Article
Read More‘Living beyond the label’
____ ____ ____, 29, is a married father of two. He’s enrolled in Peninsula College’s Composites Recycling program, and is a member of the school’s Carbon Club. He’s also a level-three sex offender. Full Article
Read MorePlea bargaining should not be an option for offenders in sex crimes
In the U.S., individuals accused of sexually based crimes are legally able to accept a plea deal that allows them to have reduced sentencing penalties. This is wrong and should not be allowed to the extent that it is currently bargained for. Full Editorial
Read MoreYoung Sex Offenders Shouldn’t Have to Register; It’s Ineffective and Hurts Everyone Around Them
Sex offender registration policies were initially developed for adults with sexual offenses, but have recently been extended to include youth with sexual offenses as well. At first glance, sex offender registration and notification (hereafter referred to as SORN) may make us feel safer, produce relief knowing that these individuals are being punished. Full Opinion Piece
Read MoreThe Supreme Court May Revive a Legal Theory Last Used to Strike Down New Deal Laws
[UPDATED links 3/9/18] [slate.com] On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Gundy v. United States, a constitutional challenge to federal sex offender regulations. If, like me, you believe that America’s current sex offender regime is draconian, unjust, and counterproductive, that might sound like good news! And perhaps it is. But there’s one aspect of the court’s grant that may be very bad news from progressive viewpoint: It will only consider whether the policy in question violates the nondelegation doctrine—a hazy legal principle last used to strike down New Deal legislation in 1935. Full…
Read MoreThe Sex Offender Registry: Vengeful, unconstitutional and due for full repeal
The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that at least 95 percent of all state prisoners will be released from prison at some point. However, convicted sex-offenders almost exclusively face the vengeful, additional punishment of registration under the Sex Offender Registry and Notification Act (SORNA). Full Opinion Piece
Read MoreDiscredited Sex Assault Research Infects U.S. Legal System
When a toxin enters a biological ecosystem, its effect is magnified as it moves up the food chain. Even if it can be cut off at the source, the ever-widening distribution of its increasingly harmful form can cause problems for decades. Misinformation functions in a similar fashion, gaining traction as it’s repeated by increasingly high-profile individuals who venture ever further from the source material. In this manner, distortion about the facts of sexual assault has affected the training of judges, prosecutors, and other law enforcement officials. It is how misleading…
Read MoreWI: Losing Track
[UPDATED links 3/4/18] [wisconsinwatch.org] Losing Track by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism explores flaws in Wisconsin’s GPS monitoring program for offenders. In 2013, the Center exposed problems including false alerts and lost signals that sent offenders to jail even when they did not violate terms of the monitoring. Full Series Related links: Opponents claim GPS monitoring violates civil rights; judges not so sure [Added 3/4/18] Homeless offenders create gaps in Wisconsin’s GPS monitoring system [Added 3/4/18] Electronic monitoring pioneer wants less punishment, more reward [Added 3/4/18]
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